Stress Relief
by RevSue
Summary: Based on the first movie, yet another First Kiss scenario for Joseph and Clarisse. Joseph's attempt to relieve some of Clarisse's stress.


_Disclaimer: I don't own any of these characters since Princess Diaries 1 & 2, and its characters are the property of Disney, Buena Vista, and Meg Cabot. I make no money from this work of fiction._

Stress Relief

Clarisse leaned back against the soft leather seat and closed her eyes. What was she going to do? She still hoped that Mia would accept the role for which she had been born, but the hope was waning. Something in the way Mia's eyes never quite met hers, especially at the end when she was saying she didn't need a ride tonight, made Clarisse wonder nervously if the child was even going to show up at the ball tonight. If the last minute miracle for which Clarisse was praying did not materialize, the von Trokens were eagerly awaiting the next step, which was for Clarisse to publicly admit that the Renaldi rule of Genovia was at an end. That would be a bitter pill indeed for Clarisse to swallow. She would have failed her late husband, his family, her country, and herself. Yet Mia could be a WONDERFUL queen if she would only have confidence in herself!

Realizing that the limousine had stopped, Clarisse straightened up again before Joseph opened the door for her. Her facade slipped into place as she suppressed her worries and fears. Taking Joseph's hand, she stepped gracefully out of the car. As they walked towards the door, his hand remained firmly on the small of her back, and she took a small amount of comfort from that.

Joseph waved the doormen aside, and the two men discreetly vanished. Just before they reached the doors, Joseph suddenly turned around and leaned against it. Before Clarisse could realize what he was doing, he had pulled her into his arms. Her lips were parted in surprise when his mouth covered hers.

She couldn't remember the last time a man had kissed her lips, but she did know that no man, not even Rupert, had ever kissed her the way Joseph was kissing her at that moment. The air around them might still be a little chilly for mid-morning, but the man holding her was warm and his kiss intoxicating. If she hadn't been holding on to his arms, she would have easily melted into a puddle of pure sensation. The kiss could have lasted five seconds or it could have been five hours. She lost all track of time and had no idea when her arms ended up looped around his neck or how her body molded itself against his until nothing could have gotten between them.

At last Joseph eased back a bit. "Your Majesty, you pack one mighty punch!" His voice was raspy with the same searing desire which had engulfed her.

"D-ditto." She felt so dazed, it was a miracle she could say anything at all. She had trouble catching her breath, and even her knees felt wobbly. The idea of dragging him to her suite and having her way with him was very appealing, yet when she realized what she was considering, she was convinced she had lost her mind.

At last Joseph took a deep breath, and looked away, stepping back from her. "I ... I'm sorry. I only meant to kiss you ... to get your mind off your troubles. I never expected ..." He shook his head, and his expression became fierce. "Go inside, your Majesty. Go inside and go to your own suite. Alone. Before I completely lose my mind and convince you to come to MY room with me."

She raised her chin. The fire in her eyes dared him to argue with her. "Who says I would ever allow you to convince me?"

Joseph revealed that actions spoke volumes over words when he drew near once more. All it took was one hard, fierce kiss to have her melting again. Then he took her arms, pivoted her, and gave her a gentle nudge, just as the door opened. "Go. I need ... I'm going for a run."

As the embassy guards escorted her inside, Clarisse heard Joseph's footsteps thudding away down the curved driveway of the embassy. Keeping her head down and her face hidden, Clarisse murmured meaningless answers to words spoken by the guards, and hurried up the stairs, paying no attention to Charlotte who met her on the stairs and began to speak, only to be left staring after the queen.

Clarisse shut herself into her suite and stared for long moments at herself in the mirror. Her cheeks were faintly flushed, her eyes sparkling ... and her lips faintly swollen. What had Joseph done? What had SHE done? With a low moan, Clarisse covered her face with her hands. Their kisses were burned on her lips, branded in her memory forever. How could she ever face him again? That day they had danced together, when their eyes had lingered on each other's, their bodies perfectly in tune, she had first wondered what his kiss would be like. Her cheeks grew hotter as she remembered the look in his eyes that day, and the restrained passion she had sensed in his movements. Clarisse had forced herself to step back from him that time, pretending to him and to herself that it had been JUST a dance and nothing more. She had managed to maintain her facade until this morning. And now ...

Peeking again at her reflection, Clarisse suddenly realized that she looked more alive than she had felt for well over a year. Remembering his words, that he had kissed her to get her mind off her troubles, Clarisse suddenly felt fury rising. How DARE he? She was not pitifully weak and unable to function without a man in her life! How dare Joseph presume to think that his kiss would be powerful enough to turn her mind from ...

The fury subsided as quickly as it had flared up. His kiss HAD been powerful enough, hadn't it? She no longer was thinking about what she would do after this evening. Now she was worried about how she was going to see Joseph again and not let the memory of their ... interlude ... come between them.

A tap on her door made Clarisse swing away from the mirror and settle herself behind her desk before calling out firmly, "Come in!"

"Your Majesty?" Charlotte poked her head around the door. "You wished to know when the caterers arrived, and the flowers have been delivered as well."

"Thank you, Charlotte," Clarisse rose to her feet again fluidly. "I do hope the right flowers were delivered this time!"

Immersing herself in the final plans for the evening's Independence Day Ball, Clarisse managed to push worries about Mia, as well as memories of Joseph's kisses, deep inside. In fact, all afternoon she, Joseph and Charlotte had gone over last minute details, and Clarisse had refused to even THINK of the morning's passionate clinch on the front step of the embassy. As she was dressing for the ball that evening, her thoughts weren't on Mia, but rather on her enigmatic Head of Security.

Joseph had kissed her until they were both senseless ... and the rest of the day had acted as if nothing more than a platonic handshake had happened between them. Clarisse couldn't understand it. He had treated her as, well, as nothing more than his employer! Then she scolded herself. That was precisely what she SHOULD be to him, just his employer. Even though her body reacted strongly still to the memories of his kisses, she should not allow herself to obsess over the man. He was just a man, after all. All man. Lean, fit, incredibly sexy in his usual black leather ... Clarisse caught herself drifting off into dreams of him and gasped aloud. No! She must NOT think of him in this way! Better she think of what she was going to say to the gathered throng this evening.

It was going to be a long night, Clarisse was convinced of this already.

_THE END (since we ALL know what happens at the ball ... LOL)_


End file.
